MIGHT AS WELL BE OP

Chapter 420: The Flood Above All Floors

”Thank goodness youʼre back”

Dale murmured with a relieved smile, wiping the tears from his eyes.

”Back from where? Stop spouting nonsense and just explain”

Seraphim replied, her voice edged with confusion and impatience.

”Reynold, explain it to her”

Anthony ordered, his tone firm yet calm.

Reynold stepped forward, his expression somber as he began to recount the events of Seraphimʼs death and resurrection.

As he spoke, Seraphimʼs brow furrowed, a frown creasing her features as she absorbed the weight of his words.

Seraphim let out a weary sigh, her gaze distant.

”To think my soul was used as an energy source for a gate...”

She murmured, her voice tinged with disbelief.

With a subtle motion, she lifted herself from the ground, a soft aura of spiritual energy emanating from her.

She effortlessly brushed the dust from her face and hair, her movements graceful and deliberate.

”But Captain”

Kingsley interjected, his tone thoughtful,

”Doesnʼt this only make you even more mysterious? To possess an artifact capable of bringing someone back from the dead?”

A moment of silence passed as the groupʼs collective minds slowly grasped an impossible reality.

Anthony had, in fact, brought someone back to life.

The sheer enormity of it had been momentarily forgotten amidst their conversation with Seraphim, but now the truth settled over them, undeniable.

With a weary sigh, Anthony broke the silence.

”Donʼt kid yourselves. Do you really think I would possess such an artifact out of nowhere? That pen was given to me by the Guardian of the Tower of Knowledge, the Soulpen Sovereign”

At Anthonyʼs words, their thoughts shattered into a frenzy.

Who among them hadnʼt heard of the Soulpen Sovereign?

A figure of legend, rumored to wield a single pen whose power was said to rival that of the heavens themselves.

Of course, these were only rumors, wild tales spun by those with an eye for intrigue.

But who could resist?

Rumors were always captivating, no matter how preposterous.

And now, standing before them, those rumors no longer seemed so distant or far-fetched.

They had just witnessed a pen bring someone back from the dead.

To them, the impossible had been confirmed, and the weight of its significance hung heavily in the air.

None of them had ever witnessed such an event, someone returning from death.

Before they could fully process the revelation, Anthonyʼs voice cut through the moment once more.

”Well, itʼs really not that impressive”

He remarked nonchalantly.

”I once knew someone from the Phoenix race who possessed a talent allowing her to resurrect up to nine times a day, without any drawbacks or side effects”

All eyes immediately shifted to Reynold.

Reynold met their gazes, his expression unfazed as he shook his head.

”Iʼve never heard of such a person”

He said matter-of-factly.

”Of course you havenʼt”

Anthony replied with a knowing glance.

”It was kept under wraps. Do you honestly think such a talent would be made public? Only the bearer of the ability and her mother knew about it”

”Who is this person?”

Reynold asked, his curiosity piqued.

The notion of someone in the Phoenix race possessing an ability to return to life, beyond the realm of Nirvana, was entirely new to him.

”You wouldnʼt know her”

Anthony replied coolly.

”Besides, I already killed her, so thereʼs no need to ask”

ʼI also killed the motherʼ

Anthony thought to himself.

ʼBut thatʼs a detail best left unsaidʼ

Just as Reynold opened his mouth to ask another question, Anthony raised a hand, silencing him before he could speak.

”We should return to the mission assigned to us. Weʼve already wasted enough time here”

He said, his tone final.

The group nodded in agreement, their attention shifting to the rectangular gate, pulsing with black light and energy.

Anthonyʼs voice cut through the stillness once more.

”Just so you know, I no longer possess the means to bring anyone back to life. So donʼt die again, this time, it would be final”

A solemn expression settled over their faces as the gravity of his words sank in.

With a quiet nod, they moved forward, stepping through the gate without hesitation.

Not even death could halt their footsteps.

The world spun once more as they traversed through the vast expanse of space and void.

Their senses momentarily fractured, causing them to lose their sense of self and perception, as the transition swept them along.

When their awareness finally returned, they immediately began scanning their surroundings.

And then they felt it.

Chaos.

Instinctively, their heads snapped in the direction of the disturbance.

And there they were.

Demons.

A staggering number of them, gathered in a dense mass, looming ominously on one side.

The moment their presence was sensed, killing intent flooded the air, saturating the atmosphere with an undeniable pressure.

Without hesitation, the team fell into a offensive posture, their bodies coiling with readiness.

Hands flew to their weapons, poised to strike at a momentʼs notice.

The only thing keeping them still was the silent command of their captain, Anthony, who had yet to give the signal.

The demons, too, remained motionless.

One demon, his smile twisted with amusement, spoke.

”Youʼve arrived, then?”

Unlike the others, he bore no horns, tail, or wings.

His body was covered in black, rigid, block-like skin, and his claws,sharp and jagged, replaced what should have been fingers.

”How did you make it to this floor?”

Anthony asked, his gaze fixed on the demon before him.

”Obviously, we came through the floors. Just like you”

The demon replied with a knowing smile.

”But I suppose thatʼs not what youʼre truly asking, is it?”

The demonʼs smile widened, his tone turning almost playful.

”I imagine youʼre wondering how we passed the final floor. After all, demons are selfish creatures in every sense, many would expect us to hoard the path for ourselves and let no one ascend”

The demon paused, as if savoring the moment, before continuing.

”But you forget, demons are also cunning. Thereʼs no way the final test, held in the void, would merely involve illusions or trivial challenges. No, we simply did the opposite of what anyone would expect from us. And here we are”

The demon finished with a quiet, confident laugh, as if the answer was self-evident.

Before Anthony could respond, the same voice they had heard on the first floor echoed once more.

”You are here, Children of the Blue Planet”

Anthonyʼs head whipped toward the source of the voice, his senses immediately locking onto the presence that had been there all along, though his focus had been on the demon until now.

A figure floated midair, seated in a cross-legged position, as if the air itself was his chair.

His white hair cascaded around him like a radiant halo, and his eyes, pale as milk, glowed with an eerie light.

He sat poised, like a warrior ready for battle at any given moment, his weapon floating just within reach.

A cloak rippled behind him, though there was no wind to stir it, adding to his ethereal presence.

A breastplate adorned his chest, vambraces shielded his forearms, and greaves protected his legs, giving him an air of unstoppable readiness.

The rest of the team remained silent, their eyes fixed on the figure before them.

They didnʼt speak, but their resolve was clear.

Whatever challenges this floor presented, they were ready to face them.

”Hmmm. Thatʼs curious”

The manʼs voice echoed once more, his white eyes scanning the team with a mixture of curiosity and mild confusion.

”One of you should have been sacrificed to open the gate. Yet, here you are, intact”

The air grew dense, as if the weight of their actions had made them seem like cheaters, unworthy of their ascent to this floor.

The man, however, seemed unconcerned.

”Well, it doesnʼt matter”

He said with a smile, his expression softening.

At his words, the oppressive atmosphere lifted, dissipating as if it had never been there.